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Śikṣā: Phonetics of the Gods

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शीक्षा   Śikṣā  (Phonetics) is one of the  Vedāngas  - a discipline that focuses on the correct pronunciation, accentuation, and phonetics of the Vedic texts. It ensures that the hymns and mantras are recited accurately, preserving their intended sound and meaning. Taittiriya Upanishad states right at the beginning: ॐ शीक्षां व्याख्यास्यामः । वर्णः स्वरः । मात्रा बलम् । साम सन्तानः । इत्युक्तः शीक्षाध्यायः ॥ oṃ śīkṣāṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ  । varṇaḥ svaraḥ | mātrā balam  ।   sāma santānaḥ | ityuktaḥ śīkṣādhyāyaḥ  sāma santānaḥ | ityuktaḥ śīkṣādhyāyaḥ  ॥ Om! We shall treat of the phonetics:  sound, rhythm, quantity, strength, modulation, union.  Thus has been declared the lesson on phonetics (Translation by A. Mahadev Sastri) One of the important texts for this v edānga is the  Pāṇinīya Śikṣā ( पाणिनीयशिक्षा). I have selected shlokas from this text that I use as a basis for honing my own chanting skills. This is a living document and I...

Saṃskṛtam: The Language of the Gods

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  Saṃskṛtam: The Language of the Gods संस्कृतम् - देव भाषा Saṃskṛtam (Sum-skr-tum) is perhaps one of the oldest living languages in the world.  Saṃ-skṛtam (anglicized as Sanskrit) means refined and cultured.  This short essay on Saṃskṛtam attempts to present an emic perspective that is often missing in the popular discourse. The Indian tradition maintains that Saṃskṛtam originated from the ancient Vedas. The Vedas contain hymns dealing with cosmology, philosophy, spirituality and rituals. These hymns are believed to be apaurusheya (not a product of the human intellect). Ancient Rishis (Sages) through their meditative practices experienced what may be termed as strings of primordial phonemes that became the building blocks of the language of the Vedas. The Vedas consist of these transcriptions that were assigned meaning and transmitted orally. Even today, the emphasis on precise recitation is transmitted through a guru-shishya parampara (teacher-disciple tradition)....